WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday he supports gays being able to marry but believes states, not the federal government, should make the decision.
"I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone," Cheney said in a speech at the National Press Club. "I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kind of arrangement they wish."
Cheney, who has a gay daughter, said marriage has always been a state issue.
"And I think that's the way it ought to be handled today, that is, on a state-by-state basis. Different states will make different decisions. But I don't have any problem with that. I think people ought to get a shot at that," he said.
If you didn't know, Miss California was first place runner up in the Miss USA Pageant. There is a controversy going on whether or not Carrie Prejean's (Miss California) answer to Perez Hilton's question on same sex marriage cost her the crown.
Keith Lewis, who runs the Miss California competition, tells FOXNews.com that he was "saddened" by Prejean's statement.
"As co-director of the Miss California USA, I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss California believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman," said Lewis in a statement. "I believe all religions should be able to ordain what unions they see fit. I do not believe our government should be able to discriminate against anyone and religious beliefs have no politics in the Miss California family."
Co-director Shanna Moakler said that she fully supported Lewis' statement.
But Prejean told FOXNews.com that she has no regrets and is happy with the answer she gave.
Miss California's answer sparked a shouting match in the lobby after the show. "It's ugly," said Scott Ihrig, a gay man, who attended the pageant with his partner. "I think it's ridiculous that she got first runner-up. That is not the value of 95 percent of the people in this audience. Look around this audience and tell me how many gay men there are."
But that's all beside the point.
THIS IS A BEAUTY PAGEANT, NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR OPINION!
By the way, Miss North Carolina, Kristin Dalton, won the pageant and no one really cares about that either.
